Predicting motherboard connector failures

Abstract

Motherboard connector failures can be predicted. An embedded controller can be employed on the motherboard to monitor when devices are connected to and disconnected from the motherboard's connectors. The embedded controller can maintain an event log and connector information in which it counts the number of times a device is connected to/disconnected from a connector. The BIOS can leverage the event log and the connector information to notify an end user to take action to correct or prevent possible corrosion. Training records may also be employed to predict connector failure. The training records can track and maintain baseline and periodic device training attributes. When the periodic training attributes deviate from the baseline training attributes, an end user can be notified to take action to remove corrosion.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method, performed by an embedded controller a of a motherboard that includes a plurality of monitored connectors, for predicting motherboard connector failures comprising:
 detecting, by the embedded controller, when a device is connected to or disconnected from each of the monitored connectors, wherein the embedded controller includes a plurality of monitoring pins that are each connected to a real-time clock power rail of the motherboard via a resistor, each of the plurality of monitoring pins being connected to a monitored pin of the respective monitored connector, and wherein each monitored in is configured to connect to ground when a device is connected to the respective monitored connector; 
 each time it is detected that a device is connected to or disconnected from one of the monitored connectors, incrementing a count; 
 comparing the count to a maximum count for the respective monitored connector; and 
 when the count exceeds the maximum count, notifying an end user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting when a device is connected to or disconnected from one of the monitored connectors comprises detecting a voltage change at the respective monitoring pin. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 configuring a wake event for the respective monitoring pin while a system is active; and 
 wherein detecting the voltage change at the respective monitoring pin comprises determining that the wake event occurred. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining an event log that identifies each time a device is connected to or disconnected from each of the monitored connectors. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein notifying the end user comprises notifying the end user after determining that an amount of time that has elapsed since the count exceeded the maximum count is greater than an oxidation time. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein notifying the end user comprises presenting a recommendation during a boot process. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein notifying the end user comprises blinking a diagnostic code. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining one or more baseline device training attributes for each of the monitored connectors; 
 determining one or more periodic device training attributes for each of the monitored connectors; and 
 when a first periodic device training attribute of the one or more periodic device training attributes exceeds a corresponding first baseline device training attribute of the one or more baseline device training attributes by a defined threshold, notifying the end user. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first periodic device training attribute is a device training time or a device training voltage. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first periodic device training attribute is an average device training time or an average device training voltage. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 during each of an initial set of boots, calculating and storing a training time and a training voltage for each of the monitored connectors; 
 calculating a baseline training time from the training times stored during the initial set of boots and a baseline training voltage from the training voltages stored during the initial set of boots; 
 during each of a subsequent set of boots; calculating and storing a training time and a training voltage for each of the monitored connectors; 
 calculating a periodic training time from the training times stored during the subsequent set of boots and a periodic training voltage from the training voltages stored during the subsequent set of boots; 
 comparing the periodic training time to the baseline training time and the periodic training voltage to the baseline training voltage; and 
 when either the periodic training time exceeds the baseline training time by a defined threshold or the periodic training voltage exceeds the baselines training voltage by a defined threshold, notifying the end user. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subsequent set of boots occur after a defined period of time from the first set of boots. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the periodic training time is an average of the training times stored during the subsequent set of boots and the periodic training voltage is an average of the training voltages stored during the subsequent set of boots. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein notifying the end user when either the periodic training time exceeds the baseline training time by the defined threshold or the periodic training voltage exceeds the baselines training voltage by the defined threshold comprises presenting a recommendation during a boot process, blinking a diagnostic code or sending a communication to a server. 
     
     
       15. A motherboard comprising:
 a plurality of monitored connectors; and 
 an embedded controller having a plurality of monitoring pins that are each connected to a real-time clock power rail of the motherboard via a resistor, each of the plurality of monitoring pins being connected to a monitored pin of one of the monitored connectors, and wherein each monitored pin is configured to connect to ground when a device is connected to the respective monitored connector, the embedded controller being configured to perform a method for predicting a failure of one or more of the monitored connectors, the method comprising:
 maintaining a count and a maximum count for each of the monitored connectors; 
 detecting, at the respective monitored pin, when a device is connected to or disconnected from any of the monitored connectors; 
 each time it is detected that a device is connected to or disconnected from one of the monitored connectors, 
 
 incrementing the count for the respective monitored connector; and
 in response to determining that the count for the respective monitored connector exceeds the maximum count for the respective monitored connector, notifying an end user.